NORTH VERSUS SOUTH DEBATE SUFFERS A BODY BLOW

NORTH VERSUS SOUTH DEBATE SUFFERS A BODY BLOW?

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Lt Gen PG Kamath (Veteran)

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Parliamentary elections have been announced and I would like to know whether we have an opposition! I wish we had had a strong opposition with love for our country.? However, the opposition to the ruling party has metamorphosized into a grouping of anti-nationals.? One sitting MP from Bangalore Rural openly advocated division of the country into North and South; mind you the MP has taken the oath owing allegiance to our constitution.? As if it is not enough; his brother, the Deputy CM of Karnataka defends him; indirectly supporting the division of the country into two; never mind that he also has taken the oath swearing allegiance to our Constitution. At the least, the Congress leadership should have warned them against such fissiparous statements; rest assured; such things do not happen in Congress.? Their main contention was that the tax collected by the Centre from Karnataka was not being given to the state and was being distributed to other states.? Let us take the CM of Karnataka’s budget speech where he openly says that he is taxing the rich as per law to uplift the poor.? In the same vein, if the Centre does the same to tax the rich states to uplift poor states; why this hullaballoo? Isn’t it a basic tenet of administration?? Just as the state government is responsible for bringing up the poor in a similar way, the center is also mandated to bring up the poor states. Then; who will tell whom? Now let us see the infrastructure developed by the center in Karnataka: Chennai- Mysore High-Speed Rail, Airports at Bellary, Raichur, Hassan, Shivamogga, and Vijayapura, Bangalore-Chennai Industrial Corridor, Bangalore-Chennai Express Highway, Bangalore-Vijayawada Express Highway, Pune-Bangalore Express Highway, Bangalore Suburban Rail Project, Bangalore Satellite Town Ring Road.? There are 14 projects under the Public-Private Partnership in Karnataka through the Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India.? The state government is not prudent in its expenditure and is busy giving freebies with votes in mind and incapacitating the population from working and earning.???

Let me look at Tamil Nadu; the son of the CM who strongly believes and practices Dynastic Politics has been made a minister; nothing surprising: He wants to eradicate ‘Sanatan Dharma;’ I did not hear the applause! He likens it to malaria and covid parasites which must be eradicated.? Please pardon his innocence as he may not be able to exterminate a billion people.? Barring a handful who have disagreed with him, none in the opposition has condemned his statement and some have even supported him. The case is in court: I am sure that the court will take cognizance of the intent of the individual and its implications.

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An election strategist who was commissioned by DMK for advice for the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections in 2021 refurbished an old theme; the North-South debate.?? The main motif was that the BJP, a North Indian Party’ would enter their homes and change their culture, their style of dress, their traditions, their food, and their language and make them forget their rich Tamil Culture and impose on them the North Indian culture and language.? I do not know why the intelligent electorate of Tamil Nadu bought the idea but it clicked and DMK came to power.? The present theme for the parliamentary elections would be the same; that the BJP will enter their homes, change, trample their culture, and impose the North Indian culture on them.? In the same breath, they did not support the PM when he installed the ‘Sengol’ at a pride of place in the new parliament.? It was conferred by ‘Tamil Adheenam’ on Nehru on Independence to symbolize the transfer of power from Britain to India.?? The ‘Sengol’ has its roots in the Chola Dynasty which ruled for over a thousand years.?? The inauguration of the new parliament and installation of Sengol took place on 28 May 2023; the DMK along with a host of 19 other parties boycotted it.? Please note that DMK boycotted the installation of the Sengol; a scepter that owes its origin to Cholas thereby disrespecting and disowning the Tamil culture. Now, which party upholds the Tamil Culture? Any doubts? However, the same political parties in Tamil Nadu take pride in its forerunner the Justice Party.? In 1944 when DK (Dravida Kazhagam) was formed under EV Ramaswamy, it opposed Indian Independence and wanted the British rule to continue on the pretext of a separate South India.? The party probably prided itself in serving the white man.?

Next, let us take PM Modi’s interaction with Xi in 2019 at Mamallapuram.? What dress did he wear? He prided himself in wearing a South Indian ‘mundu’ and a white shirt which is worn by all Tamil politicians.? If he intends to enter homes and change the Tamil Culture, shouldn't he have attired differently?? Also, recollect the ‘Kashi-Tamil Sangamam’.? Does it convey any imposition of the North Indian Culture?? It was celebrated to reaffirm and rediscover the pristine link between Kashi and Kanchi.? It was inaugurated by the PM and organized by the Ministry of Education of the Central Government.?

To cut the story short India is proud of the rich and flourishing Tamil Culture that is interwoven into the fabric of modern India.? Let not any party mislead the people of Tamil Nadu that the BJP is trying to impose anything on the people of the South.? The narrative of the protection of Tamil Culture has lost its steam; I suggest a different theme needs to be found to fool the people; note the people of Tamil Nadu are not na?ve.? They know when to strike.? DMK will rue the day when they supported the statement of eradicating ‘Sanatan Dharm.’?

An extract of the BJP manifesto will rubbish the entire North vs South debate started by the DMK: I quote from it; "We will build Thiruvalluvar cultural centers all over the world. The world's oldest Tamil language is our pride. BJP will undertake every effort to enhance the global reputation of the Tamil language," Modi said while releasing the BJP's manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls.

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(The author has served for four decades in the Madras Regiment of the Indian Army)

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